1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for preventing bruxism, comprising a carrier intended for receiving in a mouth of a user, which carrier comprises at least a part of an electronic bio-feedback system.
2. Related Art
Bruxism is an involuntary or subconscious para-function which takes place during the day as well as at night, and is manifested in a static or dynamic contact between the chewing surface complexes of the lower and upper jaw, wherein a pronounced neuromuscular activity occurs. These contacts do not form part of the normal functional physiology. Bruxism is also known as clenching and/or grinding of the teeth.
It is suspected that in the vast majority of cases bruxism is caused by stress resulting from suppressed flight response. Flight response is a normal instinctive phenomenon in nature, not only in animals but also in humans. During rest the parasympathetic part of the nervous system is active. A shock reaction disturbs this rest and will result in a flight response. There occurs here an acute shift from the parasympathetic part of the nervous system to the sympathetic part. Under the influence of hormones, such as (nor)adrenaline, cortisol, serotin and pheromones, blood is sent to the extremities to reinforce a flight response. When the flight attempt is successful or the danger has passed, the balance shifts back to the parasympathetic part of the nervous system and the rest state is eventually restored.
This instinctive behaviour still exists in humans, albeit that highly civilized man is able to suppress this flight response. This latter occurs for instance when someone finds himself in a traffic-jam on the way to an appointment. He/she wants to get away, but cannot do so. All physical phenomena linked to flight response now occur, but the eventual flight response is not effected. The sympathetic part of the nervous system is nevertheless in a full state of preparedness. At that moment the muscles of the head-neck area, i.e. the chewing muscles in particular, begin to play a crucial role.
Though tensioning of the chewing muscles a powerful biting action takes place, whereby small pain stimuli occur locally which can become manifest in, among other ways, pain in the teeth and molars, pain in the periodontium, pain in the jawbone around the roots of the teeth and molars, pain in the chewing muscles and pain in the jaw. These pain stimuli are per se hardly perceptible, but at a sufficient level will nevertheless result in suppressed flight response and the associated shift within the nervous system. The release of hormones induced by this flight response in turn causes tensioning of the chewing muscles, thereby resulting in a vicious circle which expresses itself in bruxism.
Bruxism is essentially a mechanical way of coping with stress which is experienced daily. In this respect bruxism is harmless and also functional. If however bruxism occurs too often this results in an increase of the chewing forces, whereby normal, intended chewing movements during eating are carried out with so much force that pain stimuli occur which in turn induce the above stated vicious circle. In addition to stress, normal daily occurrences will thus also provoke flight response or bruxism. The chewing force can herein increase significantly so that as a result of bruxism teeth and molars can be damaged and even muscular complaints, headaches and shoulder/neck disorders can result. Jaw joint disorders can eventually also occur, so-called arthrogenic disorders such as cracking jaw joints, in addition to earache and balance disorders. When a patient experiences such a wide variety of complaints to a lesser or greater degree, bruxism no longer has a functional and harmless nature but by now a more destructive one.
Bruxism therefore has both direct and indirect adverse effects on the state of health of a person. Firstly, bruxism causes damage to the teeth which is directly noticeable as such. Indirectly, bruxism however also has an adverse effect on the entire locomotor apparatus, i.e. muscles can tense up and joints can become overloaded or damaged. In addition, bruxism can cause disrupted sleep, with all the possible neurotic and psychological effects this entails.
The invention relates to a device which obviates or at least combats bruxism and therewith prevents or at least alleviates the adverse effects as described above. Such a device is already known from European patent EP 1.110.518. The device described herein comprises a carrier in the form of a splint which is received in the whole mouth. Situated on the splint are two anchoring elements which also serve as electrode and as antenna of the bio-feedback system which is partially integrated in the splint. As soon as the antenna detects an unintended, non-physiological activity of the teeth, for instance when the user is sleeping, this signal is generated to a control unit of the bio-feedback system, which in turn actuates a pulse generator. The pulse generator generates an electrical voltage and delivers this via the electrode as electrical stimulus to the jaw of the user in order to restore a state of rest therein. Bruxism can thus be nipped in the bud and the above stated adverse effects thereof on the condition of the user avoided. Bruxism will hereby decrease in the user and finally disappear completely. The device can otherwise also be applied as a preventive measure, particularly in patients who already suffer from bruxism but who have not yet developed any harmful consequences.
Although the known device is very effective per se in suppressing bruxism, the known device has the drawback that the carrier held inside the mouth by the user interferes in the internal mouth environment of the user and could occasionally result in complications. The known carrier must furthermore be modelled precisely in accordance with the internal anatomy of the mouth, which is not only time-consuming but also requires specialist knowledge and expertise. The present invention has for its object, among others, to provide a device of the type stated in the preamble which obviates these drawbacks to an at least considerable extent.